Ofsted rates county school as ‘inadequate’

Tegan Chapman

A school has been rated ‘inadequate’ due to the poor standards of teaching and achievement of pupils.

Bedlingtonshire Community High School was visited by Ofsted inspectors in January and follows a previous inspection in 2013 where the school was told it required improvement.

We are confident that the measures and interventions that we have already put in place will soon come to fruition and will be reflected in future inspection reports

Chair of governors, Trevor Weldon

Improvement plans have now been drawn up by both the school and the local authority to address the concerns raised by Ofsted and implement the improvements required.

GCSE results since the last inspection indicate that teaching had not been good enough to generate good results.

Sixth form provision at the school also requires improvement, according to inspectors.

Chairman of governors, Trevor Weldon, said: “Whilst we are very disappointed at this overall grading we understand how the judgements were arrived at.

“Working closely with the senior leadership team in school and the local education authority we are confident that the measures and interventions that we have already put in place will soon come to fruition and will be reflected in future inspection reports.

“We are pleased that Ofsted has recognised the effectiveness of the leadership team and its ability to move the school forward.”

Ofsted inspectors will now return at regular intervals.

They will check progress and that improvements are happening at the pace required. Their first visit is expected to take place in about six weeks’ time.

Coun Robert Arckless, policy board member for children’s services, said that the Ofsted inspection had raised a number of issues that were being taken very seriously by all involved:

“School leaders are taking immediate action and we are giving increased levels of support to them to ensure that rapid and significant improvements can be made in the areas where the school has been found to be inadequate,” he said.